Columbia University announced on Apr. 8 that its Clinical Trials Training Program is now in its fourth year and continues to grow, drawing participants from academic medical centers, cancer centers, industry, and patient advocacy organizations across the country.
The expansion of this program reflects a broader need to train researchers, clinicians, and advocates not only in the mechanics of running clinical trials but also in understanding their scientific, ethical, and societal context. This approach aims to improve access and representation in clinical research so that new treatments benefit a wider range of patients.
Mary Welch, MD, course director for the Clinical Trials Training Program at Columbia’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), said: “I’m trying to have a little bit of a philosophical overview about the endeavor of science—the pros, the cons, and the challenges we face. Clinical trials courses often focus on process, but we want people to understand the bigger picture of why trials succeed or fail.” Welch added: “We talk about the importance of inclusion and access to clinical research from the very beginning, from preclinical models all the way to how trials are communicated and accessed. If those issues aren’t considered early, they can shape who ultimately benefits.”
The program features multidisciplinary panels including patient advocates and caregivers who share their experiences participating in clinical trials alongside experts from industry and funding organizations. Alexis Pissey Keo—education and training manager for clinical research at HICCC—said: “Clearly there is a need for a course like this one that spans different ideas and appeals to people from many backgrounds who want to improve clinical trials as a whole.”
Delivered largely online with an annual in-person Clinical Trials Day at Columbia University Medical Center, the course offers lectures, case-based discussions, protocol development training as well as sessions on biostatistics and regulatory considerations. Participants say it has helped them gain practical knowledge relevant for moving discoveries into real-world patient care.
Welch concluded: “Clinical trials aren’t just about testing a drug. They’re about designing research that truly works for all patients.”
